Needle bed structure for warp knitting machines



June 12, 1956 c, NOE 2,749,729

NEEDLE BED STRUCTURE FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 25, 1952 IN VEN TOR.

Euro/J 0.1V 06 ATTCRWY United States Patent (9 NEEDLE BED STRUCTURE FOR WARP KNITTING MACI-HNES Harold C. Noe, Upper Montclair, N. J., assignor to Kidde Manufacturing Co., Inc., Bloomfield, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application November 25, 1952, Serial No. 322,434

Claims. (Cl. 66-86) This invention relates to warp knitting machines, such as raschel machines, and, more particularly, to an improved needle bed structure for such machines.

Heretofore, the needle bed of such machines was in the form of a unitary metal plate coextensive with the needle bar and formed with tricks at the upper edge thereof between which the needles operated. These tricks were machined as an integral part of the needle bed by cutting spaced recesses or slots in the plate to thereby leave blade-like sections of metal. These sections were required to be of a thickness to prevent the same from being broken during the machining thereof whereby the tricks were relatively thick. Since the gauge of the needles is dependent upon the trick thickness as well as reasonable clearance between the needles and the tricks, the maximum number of needles per inch was severely restricted. Consequently, one of the inherent disadvantages of such needle beds was that the machines could not knit fabric of a fine gauge.

Also, since the needle bed, including the tricks was formed from a single piece of plate stock, it was necessary, in the event that some of the tricks were broken or otherwise impaired, to replace the entire bed or to cut out the defective section and silver solder or weld a new section into the bed in place thereof. This, of course, involved considerable waste, time and expense. Since the friction between the fabric and the knockover edge of the needle bed caused considerable wear, the useful life of the needle bed was limited, whereby repair and replacement thereof was inevitable.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple, economical and practical needle bed structure which overcomes the foregoing difiiculties.

Another object is to provide a needle bed structure which permits finer gauge knitting than has been possible heretofore on warp knitting machines.

Another object is to provide such structure which is of sturdy durable construction.

A further object is to provide such structure wherein any part of the needle bed may be readily replaced, without the necessity of welding or soldering the same, in case of breakage or wear.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

In accordance with the invention, the foregoing objects are accomplished by providing trick blade blocks having a plurality of spaced trick blade members embedded therein and mounting a plurality of such blocks side by side on a bar extending lengthwise of the machine.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a needle bed structure in accordance with the present invention, illustrating one form of trick blade block.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view illustrating another form of trick blade block.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the block shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 on Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 thereof, there is shown a portion of a needle bed structure comprising a bar 10 which extends lengthwise of the machine, and a plurality of trick blade blocks 11 (only two being shown) secured side by side to the bar 10. The block includes a body portion 12 having embedded therein a series of longitudinally spaced trick blades 13, parallel to each other, having stitch separating edges 14 at the upper end and providing slots or grooves for receiving the needles.

The body portion 12 of the block is formed of any suitable castable or moldable material, such as lead or synthetic plastic compound, and includes a lower section 16 and an upper or blade mounting section 17. The lower section 16 has parallel vertical front and rear surfaces, 19 and 26 respectively, of generally rectangular shape, through which an aperture 21 extends for removably securing the block to the bar 10. The upper section 17 is provided with a downwardly facing shoulder 22 which extends forwardly and tapers upwardly of the lower section; a vertical, rectangular front surface 24 having an inwardly set upper surface 25; and a rear surface 26, which tapers forwardly and extends above the surface 24 until it joins the upper end of the portion 25 to expose a generally triangular section of the blades 13 between which the needles are adapted to operate.

The trick blades 13 are fiat strips formed preferably of spring steel and have their lower ends embedded in the body portion 12 of the trick blade block. Each blade extends slightly above the juncture of the surfaces 25 and 26.

If desired, an arcuate recess 28 may be provided at the upper front corner of the stitch separating edge 14 of the blades for receiving a wire or rod 29 serving as a knockover edge.

Referring now to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, there is shown another form of trick blade block 30 apart from the bar 10, which essentially comprises a body portion 31 and a series of longitudinally spaced trick blades 33, parallel to each other, having stitch separating edges 34 at the upper end and providing slots or grooves for receiving the needles.

The body portion 31 is formed of the same material and in the same manner as the body portion 12 described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and is provided with a lower and an upper extension, 36 and 37, respectively. The lower extension has parallel, vertical front and rear surfaces 39 and 40, respectively, of generally rectangular shape, through which an aperture 41 extends for attaching the trick plate to a bar. The upper extension 37 includes forwardly and upwardly tapering front and rear walls 44 and 45, respectively, which meet at a point 46.

A shoulder portion 42 tapers forwardly and upwardly of the top of the lower extension. This portion has a vertical front surface 47 and has an upper surface 48 which tapers downwardly and inwardly to join the front wall 44 of the extension 37 at its lower end forming an acute angle therewith.

The trick blades 33 are flat strips formed preferably of spring steel and are mounted in the body portion 31 of trick blade block 30. Each blade extends upwardly of the extension 37 and is provided with generally parallel, forwardly and upwardly tapering, front and rear edges 49 and 50, respectively, and with horizontal stitch separating edges 34. The front and rear edges 49 and 50 of the blades extend into the body portions where they are securely embedded in the material forming the body portion. The front edges 49 extend downwardly through the upper extension 37 to the point of juncture of the front wall, 44 thereof and the upper surface 48 of the shoulder portion 42, at which point they extend forwardly and upwardly at substantially the same angle as that formed between the surface 48 and the wall 44, thereby forming a groove or recess 51 for mounting a band or strip 52 serving. as a knock-over edge.

In assembling a needle bed structure in accordance with the invention, trick blade blocks are mounted on the bar by placing the shoulder of the body portions on the upper edge of the bar, placing the apertures of the trick blocks in registry with corresponding apertures in the bar and securing the blocks to the bar by bolts or the like as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it being understood that the blocks shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 may be similarly mounted. The blocks are secured to the bar in the foregoing manner in contiguous side by side relation until a needle bed of desired length is assembled. If desired, a continuous wire or band may then be mounted in lengthwise extendingrelation, as shown, to attain the advantages disclosed in my Letters Patent of the United States, issued on application Serial No. 322,435 filed November 25, 1952,.

It will be appreciated that, since the trick blades of the present invention are not machined from a single plate, they need not be of a thickness heretofore required to prevent breakage of the tricks during the machining operations. By utilizing spring steel strips which are strong and resilient, the blades may be extremely thin thereby allowing the needles to be mounted much closer together whereby finer gauge knitting is made possible.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved needle bed structure for warp knitting machines which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture, which ob viates the necessity of replacing the entire needle bed or of welding or soldering sections therein in the event of broken or worn blades, and which permits finer gauge knitting than has been known heretofore in connection with such machines.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

I claim:

1. Needle bed structure for a warp knitting machine comprising a bar extending lengthwise of the machine, a plurality of trick blade blocks secured side by side to said bar each having a plurality of trick blades embedded therein providing open ended needle slots, said blades each having side edges and a stitch separating edge at the open end of the needle slots, and a member structurally free and disconnected from said blades and blocks extending lengthwise of the machine and providing an exposed continuous knockover edge surface adjacent one of the side edges and the stitch separating edges of all of said blades.

2. Needle bed structure for a warp knitting machine comprising a bar extending lengthwise of the machine,

a plurality of trick blade blocks secured side by side to said bar, a plurality of trick blades each having a body portion embedded in a block and providing open ended needle slots, and each having a stitch separating edge at the open end of the needle slots and a substantially straight side edge extending from said stitch separating edge to said body portion, and a member structurally free and disconnected from said blades and blocks extending lengthwise of the machine and providing an exposed continuous knockover edge surface adjacent the stitch separating edges of all of said blades at the side opposite said straight side edge.

3. Needle bed structure for a warp knitting machine comprising a bar extending lengthwise of the machine, plurality of trick blade blocks secured side by side to said bar each having a plurality of trick blades embedded therein providing open ended needle slots, said blades each having substantially straight, parallel side edges and a stitch separating edge between said edges at the open end of the needle slots, and a member structurally free and disconnected from said blades and blocks extending lengthwise of the machine and providing an exposed continuous knockover edge surface adjacent one of the side edges and the. stitch separating edges of all of said blades.

4. Needle bed structure for a warp knitting machine comprising a bar extending lengthwise of the machine, a plurality of trick blade and block assemblies secured side by side to said bar each including a plurality of trick blades embedded therein providing open ended needle slots, said blades each having side edges and a stitch separating edge at the open end of the needle slots, and a member structurally free and disconnected from said assemblies extending lengthwise of the machine and providing an exposed continuous knockover edge surface adjacent one of the side edges and the stitch separating edges of all of said blades and being supported by all of said assemblies.

5. Needle bed structure for a warp knitting machine comprising a bar extending lengthwise of the machine, a plurality of trick blade blocks secured side by side to said bar having lengthwise aligned upwardly facing rccesses, a plurality of trick blades embedded in said blocks providing open ended needle slots, said blades each having side edges and a stitch separating edge at the open end of the needle slots, and a strip structurally free and disconnected from said blades and blocks extending lengthwise of the machine and having an exposed continuous knockover edge surface atits upper edge adjacent one of the side edges and the stitch separating edges of all of said blades and having its lower edge loosely supported in the recesses of all of said blocks.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,210,106 Schwartz Dec. 26, 1916 1,436,529 Preston Nov. 21, 1922 2,014,529 Kinsella et al Sept. 17, 1935 2,155,145 Morton et al Apr. 18, 1939 2,259,655 Morton Oct. 21, 1941 2,428,448 Broberg Oct. 7, 1947 2,461,550 Lambach Feb. 15, 1949 2,504,316. Fontaine Apr. 18, 1950 2,682,163 Staff et al June 29, 1954 

